This week, we feature South African actress, model, and dancer Mekaila Mathys.
The Cape Town-born actress is best known for her appearance on Netflix local hit series Blood and Water in which she plays the role of Tahira Khan. She is also well known for her role as Angel Abrahams in the local drama DanZ!.
Mathys features in hit international TV series Dominion where she plays the role of 8-Ball. She also features in international hit movie Bring it On.
The 27-year-old is also a successful model and dancer.
You can star alongside either Denzel Washington or Michael B Jordan in a Hollywood blockbuster. Whom do you choose?
Definitely Denzel Washington because he's an absolute legend and I've always admired him as an actor.
What is your favourite restaurant in South Africa? And what do you normally order?
My favourite restaurant is at the Tintswalo Atlantic Lodge. They do fine dining, which is perfect because I'm a huge foodie and everything on their menu is amazing.
What has been your most challenging role as an actress?
Playing the role of'Angel Abrahams in the Afrikaans TV series DanZ! which aired on KykNet. Afrikaans is not my home language, so it was a bit challenging to start. The role was quite an antagonistic one which is the complete opposite of who Mekaila is. It was an adjustment for me, but it's not every day that you get to play the bad guy, so I had some fun with her. Last, because the role required dancing, I had to do some extensive training in ballroom and Latin-American in a short space of time, learning multiple routines all at once. I ended up with a really bad knee injury but pushed through nevertheless.
You are stuck on an island with your fellow cast members of Blood and Water. You have to split into teams of two in order to gather food and survive. Which cast member do you choose to team up with and why?
I'd team up with Dillon Windvogel who plays Wade, which is my character's crush in Blood & Water. He just has some great martial arts training, so I know we'll be protected at all times. He might not be able to cook like a boss, but I can, so he just needs to hunt for the food and I’ll do the cooking.
You can do only one exercise for the rest of your life. Which exercise do you choose to do?
I hate exercising. But if I had to choose, it would be between boxing and cycling; probably boxing.
What is the biggest misconception people have of Mekaila Mathys?
The biggest misconception about me is that I'm an extrovert. In reality, I'm really just an introverted homebody. Social anxiety is a real thing! lol.
When you were growing up, who was your celebrity crush?
I had to think long and hard about this one, but I do recall being infatuated with Spanish footballer Jesús Navas .
What caught your attention on social media in the past week?
I try not to get too caught up in social media, so I can't say that anything has really caught my attention lately.
What was the worst date you've been on?
I don't do dates :-) Sorry fellas.
What are your current favourite three TV series?
Believe it or not, I don't watch much TV. However, I do love anything related to food, design and I am awaiting the next season of Good Girls on Netflix.